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'that Belgium cannot give you any other reply than that which she has given without losing her honour. It is with nations as with individuals, and there is not one kind of honour for peoples and another for private folk. You must recognise,' insisted Baron Beyens, 'that the reply could not have been other than that which has been given.'

"I recognise it as a private individual, but as Secretary of State I have no views to express.

(Last interview of BARON BEYENS, Belgian Minister at Berlin, with HERR VON JAGOW, 3rd August. Cf. M. Waxweiler, "Neutral and Loyal Belgium.")

APPENDIX II*

EXTRACT FROM THE SPEECH OF CHANCELLOR VON BETHMANN-HOLLWEG IN THE GERMAN REICHSTAG, DECEMBER 12, 1916

And Hindenburg does not rest. Military operations progress. By strokes of the sword at the same time firm foundations for our economic needs have been laid. Great stocks of grain, victuals, oil, and other goods fell into our hands in Roumania. Their transport has begun. In spite of scarcity, we could have lived on our own supplies, but now our safety is beyond question.

To these great events on land heroic deeds of equal importance are added by our submarines. The spectre of famine, which our enemies intended to appear before us, now pursues them without mercy. When, after the termination of the first year of the war, the Emperor addressed the nation in a public appeal, he said: “Having witnessed such great events, my heart was filled with

*In this appendix an attempt has been made to present in compact form some of the most important documents on peace terms and war issues put forth by governments or their accredited spokesmen. The material is so voluminous and in so many cases repeats its same points that it has been impossible to give every pronouncement in toto. In every instance care has been taken not to misrepresent the spirit of the statement by the omissions, and quotations are given in the words of the authors. The sources of the earlier documents are indicated, the later ones being taken from the files of the daily press, usually the New York Times.

awe and determination." Neither our Emperor nor our nation ever changed their minds in this respect.

Our enemies now ascribed to us a plan to conquer the whole world, and then desperate cries of anguish for peace. But not confused by these asseverations, we progressed with firm decision, and we thus continue our progress, always ready to defend ourselves and fight for our nation's existence, for its free future, and always ready for this price to stretch out our hand for peace.

PEACE NOTE OF GERMANY AND HER ALLIES, DECEMBER 12, 1916*

The most terrific war experienced in history has been raging for the last two years and a half over a large part of the world-a catastrophe which thousands of years of common civilization was unable to prevent and which injures the most precious achievements of humanity.

Our aims are not to shatter nor annihilate our adversaries. In spite of our consciousness of our military and economic strength and our readiness to continue the war (which has been forced upon us) to the bitter end, if necessary; at the same time, prompted by the desire to avoid further bloodshed and make an end to the atrocities of war, the four allied powers propose to enter forthwith into peace negotiations.

The propositions which they bring forward for such negotiations, and which have for their object a guarantee of the existence, of the honor and liberty of evolution for their nations, are, according to their firm belief, an appropriate basis for the establishment of a lasting peace.

* The New York Times, December 13, 1916.

The four allied powers have been obliged to take up arms to defend justice and the liberty of national evolution. The glorious deeds of our armies have in no way altered their purpose. We always maintained the firm belief that our own rights and justified claims in no way control the rights of these nations.

The spiritual and material progress which were the pride of Europe at the beginning of the twentieth century are threatened with ruin. Germany and her allies, Austria-Hungary, Bulgaria, and Turkey, gave proof of their unconquerable strength in this struggle. They gained gigantic advantages over adversaries superior in number and war material. Our lines stand unshaken against ever-repeated attempts made by armies.

The last attack in the Balkans has been rapidly and victoriously overcome. The most recent events have demonstrated that further continuance of the war will not result in breaking the resistance of our forces, and the whole situation with regard to our troops justifies our expectation of further successes.

If, in spite of this offer of peace and reconciliation, the struggle should go on, the four allied powers are resolved to continue to a victorious end, but they solemnly disclaim responsibility for this before humanity and history. The Imperial Government, through the good offices of your Excellency, asks the Government of [here is inserted the name of the neutral power addressed in each instance] to bring this communication to the knowledge of the Government of [here are inserted the names of the belligerents].

EXTRACTS FROM THE SPEECH OF PREMIER BRIAND IN THE FRENCH CHAMBER OF DEPUTIES, DECEMBER 13, 1916*

When I see Germany arming herself to the teeth, mobilizing her entire civil population at the risk of destroying her commerce and her industries, of breaking up her homes of which she is so proud; when I see the fires of all her factories burning red in the manufacture of war material; when I see her, in contravention of the law of nations, conscripting men in their own countries and forcing them to work for her, if I did not warn my country, I should be culpable indeed!

There is one cry constantly on German lips: "We were attacked; we are defending ourselves; we are the victims!" To this cry I make answer for the hundredth time: "No; you are the aggressors; no matter what you may say, the facts are there to prove it. The blood is on your heads, not on ours."

Furthermore, the circumstances in which these proposals are made are such that I have the right to denounce them as a crafty move, a clumsy snare.

The things I am telling you are merely my personal impressions. I would not be talking thus, were it not my duty to put my country on her guard against what might bring about her demoralization. It is not that I doubt her clear-sightedness or her perspicacity. I am quite sure that she will not allow herself to be duped.

* France: Journal Officiel du 14 décembre 1916, Chambre-Séance du 13 décembre, p. 3638.

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